Authorities issued a warning to San Mateo County residents about scam attempt

San Mateo County, California – Residents of San Mateo County have been warned by authorities about a recent scam attempt in which a caller impersonated a sheriff’s officer and requested the victim to submit a prepaid debit card.

The name of an actual officer with the Sheriff’s Office was used in a phone call made to a resident in San Carlos last Saturday by someone impersonating him. According to sheriff’s investigators, the caller informed the victim that he had two outstanding arrest warrants totalling $2,000 and ordered him to go to a CVS or Walmart shop and buy a Moneypak card voucher for that amount and provide the numbers on the back of the card.

The victim refused to pay for the card and informed the Sheriff’s Office about the call.

Sheriff’s officials stated that they and other law enforcement agencies will never call to make a monetary request, and that people should contact their local law enforcement agency if they receive a phone call from someone claiming to be a law enforcement officer and requesting money over the phone.